Found a Mother Cat With Kittens in Cumberland County? How Our Mama Cat and Kitten Program Helps

You hear tiny cries coming from under the deck, or you spot a cat slipping in and out of the barn with a litter tucked behind the hay. Finding a mother cat with kittens is common in Cumberland County, and many people are not sure what to do next. Cat overpopulation is a significant issue in our area, and every unplanned litter adds to it.

At Cumberland County Animal Hospital in Amherst, Nova Scotia, we run a Mama Cat and Kitten Program to help. This guide explains how the program works, what happens to the mother cat and her kittens, and how to get started.

How the Mama Cat and Kitten Program works

If you or someone you know has a mother cat with a litter of kittens, here is what the program includes:

1. Testing for the mother cat. We test the mother cat for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
2. A reduced-cost spay. If her results are negative, we spay the mother cat at a reduced cost.
3. Care for the kittens. We take in the kittens and provide their spay and neuter surgeries, parasite treatments and vaccinations.
4. Adoption into loving homes. The kittens are adopted out to loving families, and their first year of preventative health care is included in the adoption fee.

What to do if you find a mother cat and kittens

• Call us first. Reach our team at (902) 612-2520 to ask about the Mama Cat and Kitten Program and talk through next steps.
• Keep the family in mind. Make a note of where the mother cat and kittens are and how many kittens you have seen, so we can plan together.
• Tell friends and neighbours. If someone else has found a litter, let them know the program is available. It is open to anyone in our community who has a mother cat with kittens.

Why we test the mother cat first

Feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus are serious infectious diseases in cats. Testing the mother cat before her spay surgery gives us important information about her health. Feline leukemia is also one of the key diseases we vaccinate cats against, which you can read about in our guide to dog and cat vaccines.

Why spaying the mother cat matters

Spaying prevents a female cat from becoming pregnant again, which stops the cycle of new litters. It also reduces the risk of several health problems. Spaying helps prevent infections, reproductive diseases and certain cancers, and it eliminates heat cycles. The procedure will not affect her personality.

Before any surgery, we perform a complete physical exam and pre-anesthetic tests, choose anesthesia suited to the patient, and monitor closely throughout. Pain management continues through recovery. Learn more in our post on what to expect on spay and neuter surgery day.

Adopting a kitten from the program

Kittens from the Mama Cat and Kitten Program go home already spayed or neutered, treated for parasites and vaccinated. Their first year of preventative health care is included in the adoption fee, which gives new families a strong start.

If you are bringing home a new kitten, our guide for new kitten owners covers feeding, training and socialization, and our post on indoor vs. outdoor cats can help you decide how your kitten will live.

Other ways we help cats in our community

The Mama Cat and Kitten Program is one part of our work to reduce cat overpopulation. We also partner with Moncton CARMA to spay and neuter their adoptable cats and kittens, and with TNR Parrsboro to spay and neuter feral cats. If the cat you found is feral rather than friendly, read our post on what an ear-tipped cat means and how Trap, Neuter, Release works.

Common questions about the Mama Cat and Kitten Program

Who can use the Mama Cat and Kitten Program?

If you or someone you know has a mother cat with a litter of kittens, you can contact Cumberland County Animal Hospital in Amherst at (902) 612-2520 to ask about the program.

What tests does the mother cat need?

We test the mother cat for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). If the results are negative, we spay her at a reduced cost.

What happens to the kittens?

We take in the kittens and provide spay and neuter surgeries, parasite treatments and vaccinations. The kittens are then adopted out to loving families.

Is health care included when I adopt a kitten from the program?

Yes. Each kitten's first year of preventative health care is included in the adoption fee.

Get help for a mother cat and kittens in Amherst

Cumberland County Animal Hospital is a CVMA and NSVMA accredited hospital at 16 Ancestral Drive in Amherst, Nova Scotia, open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. To ask about the Mama Cat and Kitten Program, call (902) 612-2520 or send us a message. You can also explore all of our veterinary services.